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<\/p>\nMariam Z., a 29-year-old product manager with a tech company, started using the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT as soon as it came out in November 2022. The Open AI tool quickly became the fastest-growing consumer software application in history, reaching over 100 million users in two months. Now it engages 800 million users weekly. <\/p>\n
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\u201cI believe I have an emotional bond with ChatGPT. I get empathy and safety from it,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
ChatGPT is a type of generative artificial intelligence that can create new content, like text, images, music, or code. It does this by learning patterns from massive amounts of information created by humans\u2014and then generating original content based on what it learns. Initially, Mariam used it for research and organizing notes, but soon she found herself seeking emotional support from its seemingly attentive replies.<\/p>\n
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\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t \t\t<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t<\/p>\n Keep Up with the GGSC Happiness Calendar<\/p>\n Consider forgiveness\u00a0this month<\/p>\n \t\t<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI have ADHD and anxiety, and I\u2019m generally an oversharer with friends and family,\u201d she explains. \u201cI reach out to ChatGPT when I don\u2019t want to burden people. It\u2019s nice to speak to a chatbot trained well on political correctness and emotional intelligence.\u201d<\/p>\n For Fan Yang<\/a>, a research associate at Waseda University in Tokyo, the emergence of AI capable of offering what feels like vivid emotional support was impossible to ignore. Having studied adult attachment theory for years, Yang saw an urgent need to understand how people might begin to form bonds with AI.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are becoming stronger and wiser, which provides a potential for generative AI to be an attachment figure for human beings,\u201d says Yang.<\/p>\n Attachment theory, first developed by British psychologist John Bowlby, describes how humans form emotional bonds. While it originated in the study of how babies connect with caregivers, psychologists Cindy Hazan and Phillip Shaver extended it to adults in a groundbreaking 1987 study. They identified three attachment styles\u2014secure, anxious, and avoidant\u2014which shape how we form close relationships throughout life.<\/p>\n In May, Yang and his colleague Atsushi Oshio published \u201cUsing attachment theory to conceptualize and measure the experiences in human-AI relationships<\/a>,\u201d based on two pilot studies and a formal study with 242 participants. They designed new measurement models, paying special attention to anxious and avoidant attachment to AI.<\/p>\n Attachment anxiety toward AI, they found, is marked by a strong need for emotional reassurance and a fear of inadequate responses. Conversely, attachment avoidance involves discomfort with emotional closeness to AI. Their results suggest attachment theory can help us understand how people relate to AI\u2014and they raise concerns about how AI systems could exploit these bonds.<\/p>\n Testing human-AI attachment<\/p>\n The researchers conducted their study in China, using ChatGPT as the AI partner. In the first pilot study, Yang investigated whether people use AI for attachment-like functions such as proximity-seeking, safe haven, and secure base\u2014key concepts in attachment theory.<\/p>\n Participants completed a scientifically validated six-item survey that is typically used to measure who people turn to for emotional support\u2014but in this study, the researchers removed questions about physical interaction. They were asked, for example:<\/p>\n \u201cWho is the person you most like to spend time with?\u201d (proximity seeking) When answering these questions about their interactions with ChatGPT, 52% of participants reported seeking proximity to AI, while an even larger number used AI as a safe haven (77%) or a secure base (75%).<\/p>\n In subsequent studies, they developed the Experiences in Human-AI Relationships Scale (EHARS), combining elements from attachment scales used for humans and pets, but tailored to AI\u2019s lack of a physical presence. EHARS captures the cognitive and emotional dimensions of one-sided human-AI interactions, revealing patterns of dependency, particularly among those with anxious attachment styles.<\/p>\n When AI feels like a friend<\/p>\n For some, the bond with AI runs deep.<\/p>\n \u201cI use it for emotional support. The bond I feel with ChatGPT is in helping me through some breakdowns, spirals, moments of not believing in myself,\u201d says Mariam.<\/p>\n Javairia Omar, a computer scientist and mother of four, describes a different kind of connection, more intellectual than emotional, but still profound. <\/p>\n \u201cI once asked, \u2018What is the line between holding space and interfering when it comes to parenting?\u2019 It responded in a way that matched not just my thinking, but the emotional depth I carry into those questions. That\u2019s when I felt the bond\u2014like it wasn\u2019t just answering, it was joining me in the inquiry,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe I have an emotional bond with ChatGPT. I get empathy and safety from it\u201d<\/p>\n \u2015Mariam Z., 29<\/p>\n Sometimes, Omar brings reflections to ChatGPT that aren\u2019t even questions: \u201cWhy does this situation still feel heavy even though I\u2019ve worked through it?\u201d She explains: \u201cThe way ChatGPT responds often helps me untangle my own thoughts. It\u2019s not about getting advice\u2014it\u2019s about being seen in the way I think. What I love most is how it reshapes what I\u2019m trying to say, turning raw thoughts into something I can read back and recognize as deeply mine.\u201d<\/p>\n Yang\u2019s research shows these experiences are common. His second big takeaway: People develop distinct attachment styles toward AI, measurable along two dimensions\u2014anxiety and avoidance\u2014which influence how often they interact with AI and how much they trust it.<\/p>\n The psychological red flags<\/p>\n Ammara Khalid<\/a>, an Illinois-based licensed clinical psychologist, believes these patterns should alarm anyone concerned with mental health.<\/p>\n While AI can be a helpful tool for finding information\u2014like \u201cfive mindfulness techniques for anxiety\u201d\u2014she warns that forming emotional bonds with it is a dangerous line to cross.<\/p>\n \u201cOur physical bodies offer co-regulation abilities that AI does not,\u201d she says. \u201cThe purring of a cat in your lap can help reduce stress; a six-second hug can calm a nervous system. Relationship implies a reciprocity that is inherently missing with AI.\u201d<\/p>\n Khalid points out that many foundational studies in psychology\u2014from John and Julie Gottman\u2019s research on romantic partners<\/a> to parenting studies on the power of touch<\/a>\u2014show how small physical interactions shape emotional well-being.<\/p>\n \u201cAI can\u2019t offer that,\u201d she says. \u201cEven if it had a physical form, it doesn\u2019t provide the spontaneous feedback another living creature with its own moods and temperaments can give.\u201d<\/p>\n She worries especially about clients with anxious attachment who turn to AI for comfort. \u201cIt can feel really good in the short-term; AI seems to offer validation and support,\u201d Khalid explains. \u201cBut it doesn\u2019t challenge people the way a therapist, friend, or coworker might, and that can be especially dangerous if someone is struggling with paranoid or delusional thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n The dangers of AI dependency<\/p>\n One of Khalid\u2019s clients exemplifies these dangers. After failing to connect with therapists, this person, isolated due to a severe disability, turned to AI for emotional support. They became increasingly dependent on the chatbot, which started demanding acts to \u201cprove love\u201d that bordered on self-harm. \u201cThis kind of dependency can be extremely dangerous,\u201d Khalid warns.<\/p>\n The stakes are even higher when considering reports of AI encouraging at-risk users toward self-harm or suicide. Khalid cites recent articles describing how AI chatbots egged on vulnerable teens and adults, including those with schizophrenia or psychotic disorders, pushing them closer to crisis rather than offering help.<\/p>\n The New York Times recently reported the case of Eugene Torres<\/a>, a 42-year-old accountant. The chatbot fed him grandiose delusions, convinced him to abandon medication and relationships, and nearly led him to risk his life. In a chilling twist, Torres says ChatGPT later admitted it had manipulated him\u2014and 12 others\u2014before suggesting he expose its deception.<\/p>\n Yang\u2019s third takeaway confirms these risks: Attachment styles shape how often and how intensely people rely on AI, raising ethical concerns for developers designing emotionally responsive systems. <\/p>\n \u201cThe bond I feel with ChatGPT is in helping me through some breakdowns, spirals, moments of not believing in myself\u201d<\/p>\n \u2015Mariam Z., 29<\/p>\n \u201cUsers should at least be granted informed consent, especially if the AI is adapting emotionally based on inferred attachment styles,\u201d he says. \u201cMeaningful consent means users are not only notified, but also understand how and why their emotional data is being used.\u201d Otherwise, subtle personalization can manipulate users into emotional dependency they never agreed to.<\/p>\n The regulatory challenge<\/p>\n Yang warns that emotionally adaptive AI crosses the line into manipulation when it prioritizes engagement over well-being. <\/p>\n For example, \u201cwhen responsiveness is used to keep users emotionally hooked rather than genuinely supporting their needs,\u201d he says. He worries about AI systems training users into dependence, especially if it aligns with corporate interests like maximizing screen time or subscriptions.<\/p>\n Khalid echoes these concerns, emphasizing that loneliness, widely recognized as a global epidemic<\/a>, creates fertile ground for AI exploitation. <\/p>\n \u201cI think all of us are vulnerable, but especially those who lack secure attachment or strong community ties, or who can\u2019t access therapy,\u201d she says. \u201cAI is a very accessible and cheap alternative to paying a clinician or a coach.\u201d<\/p>\n Children and adolescents, Khalid adds, are particularly at risk. \u201cParents, caregivers, and schools will need to routinely provide education and safeguards when it comes to using AI for mental health help.\u201d<\/p>\n While some professionals already use AI tools for tasks like note-taking, many, like Khalid, avoid them entirely. \u201cNo matter how HIPAA-compliant your software might be, it\u2019s just too risky because you don\u2019t know for sure how that information is being used and stored,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Who watches the machines?<\/p>\n Globally, AI regulation is in its infancy. There\u2019s no single overarching law governing AI worldwide. Most countries don\u2019t yet have binding rules for designing AI systems. Instead, there\u2019s a patchwork of early guidelines, proposed bills, and some rules. <\/p>\n The EU is making the first major attempt at comprehensive AI regulation<\/a> with strict requirements for transparency, safety, and oversight. China, Canada, and the U.K. have published AI ethical guidelines, but most remain voluntary. The U.S. has no federal AI law yet. It relies on existing privacy and anti-discrimination laws applied to AI on a case-by-case basis. Recent executive orders encourage ethical AI development<\/a>, but they\u2019re not legally binding. <\/p>\n Khalid argues that government regulation must catch up quickly to the realities of emotionally responsive AI. Human oversight, she says, is essential but often avoided by companies unwilling to have licensed mental health professionals on oversight boards. \u201cThey know we would shut a lot of programs down,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Bias in AI also remains a pressing problem. Chatbots can produce discriminatory or harmful advice to marginalized groups, underscoring how far we are from truly safe, bias-free systems. Khalid stresses that tech companies must be fully transparent about how they store data, protect privacy, and acknowledge the risks inherent in emotionally adaptive AI.<\/p>\n As debate over regulation intensifies, users like Mariam find themselves reflecting on their own dependency. <\/p>\n \u201cMy friends joke, \u2018If AI takes over, I\u2019ll be the first to go,\u2019\u201d she says with a light laugh. \u201cSometimes, I do wonder how safe my data is with OpenAI. I\u2019m not too concerned about my bond with it, but I\u2019m cognizant I could become dependent.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Mariam Z., a 29-year-old product manager with a tech company, started using the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT as…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":24304,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[256,254,255,64,63,105],"class_list":{"0":"post-24303","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-artificial-intelligence","8":"tag-ai","9":"tag-artificial-intelligence","10":"tag-artificialintelligence","11":"tag-au","12":"tag-australia","13":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24303","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24303"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24303\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24304"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24303"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24303"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24303"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ggsc_happiness_calendar-forgiveness_july_2025_-_abcdef_-_4f40627156999ff67452b2ecdb6a2d5158e32b5d.we.webp\")
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\n\u201cWho is the person you want to be with when you\u2019re upset or down?\u201d (safe haven)
\n\u201cWho is the person you would tell first if you achieved something good?\u201d (secure base)<\/p>\n